Avatar: The Tree of Souls
by DXM147
Summary: Post-Avatar. One man races towards Pandora to stop the RDA's drilling. What will await him there once he arrives? Jake's and Neytiri's son? Minichapters. Chapter 13: The Singularity. Reviews GREATLY appreciated.
1. Twelve Angry Men

[Encrypted Message Received]

[Code in: Brain; Decrypted]

[To: Selfridge, Parker]

[From: Anderson, Samuel]

[Title: Pandora Incident]

Mr. Selfridge,

When RDA chose you to head up operations on Pandora, you signed a sworn statement that you would perform the task "to the best of your abilities." The Board and I have sworn statements from Pandora Command that state that your actions were in fact not adequate enough for the company and our endeavors. Along with your termination, criminal charges will be pressed in regards to the aforementioned accusations brought to our attention by your actions. We deeply regret that these events had to transpire.

Sincerely,

Sam Anderson

President, RDA

* * *

Pandora:

Even though I had seen the lush greens and fluorescent blues of Pandora countless times before, I was overjoyed now. Looking down at me, cradling my head in her arms, was Neytiri, the ten-foot tall Na'vi, my mate, my savior.

I smiled, "I see you."

She smiled in return, and hugged me tighter. Mo'at, to the side of the First Meeting, held her hands up to silence the chanting Omaticaya tribe. All at once the neon light emanating on the forest ground between each Na'vi appeared to receded back into the Tree of Souls, and the Omaticaya grew silent.

"Can you stand Jakesully?"

"Yeah, sure." A little wobbly, but come on, you know how to stand.

Neytiri beamed, "Praise Eywa." The Omaticaya let out a collaborated cheer, glad of my birthday.

* * *

Earth:

The twelve men filtered into the oval conference room in silence. None of them looked at each other, and all had their lips curled into snarls. They were all finely dressed. As leaders of one of the most successful mining corporations in recent history, it was their duty, no, it was their pleasure to flaunt their power in whatever way it deemed prudent.

Five minutes passed and Sam Anderson, president of RDA, strode in flanked by two uniformed men. Anderson was tall and built, with bleached blonde hair that fell just to the top of his ears. Many said he was the spitting image of the old time movie star Robert Redford. But getting on in his years, this striking resemblance started to fade. The twelve men stood up upon his entering. Sam motioned to take their seats, even before he himself took his, which the Board assumed was because of his hastiness on this day.

Sam spoke first. "Gentlemen of the Board. We all know why we are here. And we know whose fault it is. AND we know that our stock has plummeted over sixty points in the three hours from when we got word of this incident. AND we …"

A short, stubbly man at the end of the long meeting table interjected, "KNOW what to do next!" Half of the men at the table nodded their heads in approval.

"Thank you Mr. Cox, and what exactly did you have in mind," said Sam.

"Blow the ruddy apes out of the planet!" The same men agreed with their vocal Yeahs!

"Well, I'm sure a men of your intelligence could recognize that this sort of thinking is what got us into this mess."

"Pandora is everything to this company. Without it, without bloody unobtainium, why don't we just bend over and screw ourselves over right now?" One of the military personnel couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

"But a formal injunction was filed – yes, I have it here, gentlemen – abstaining ANY mining operation or human presence whatsoever, from stepping foot on Pandora without the express permission of the Na'vi people."

"An injunction filed by limp dick tree-hugging leftists, mind you! Hell, do we even recognize these things?" Mr. Cox looked around from both sides looking for support from his fellow board members, and a few shook their heads at his question.

A tall, dark man waved down the crowd. "Yes, Mr. Pratt?" recognized Sam.

"Gentlemen, may I offer a suggestion? Now, Mr. Cox, you make an excellent point, but can this company really _afford_ more bad press. Now, the only way this injunction could be settled is if a member of the Na'vi gives a confirmation that humans are allowed on this planet. But think, gentlemen! The Avatar program! Many of the drivers, and albeit scientists, are still on Pandora, given lease by the savages. Why could we not strike a deal with one of these people, suit them up, speak Na'vi language, giving writ and comm permission that RDA can return, as long as RDA whatever, learns from their crimes or some bullshit like that. Injunction lifted, mining begins, more security personnel, nuclear weapons for protection, oh and sir – the traitor Jake Sully knows what nukes are, ex-Marine and all. The Na'vi won't touch us."

Sam sat in his chair rubbing his chin. "Let's put it to a vote. All in favor?"

Of the twelve men excluding the president, eleven raised their hands. "All opposed?" In the back, the twenty-nine year old heir to the RDA dynasty raised his hand, amid the glaring looks of hatred from his fellow board members.

"Alright then, Mr. Pratt, relay the plan to my secretaries, let's have this ready to go before the week's up. Adjorned."

The conference room emptied, with older men scrambling to get in touch with their secretaries to get the gears grinding. Only the young Mr. Anderson, son of the President, stood behind.


	2. The Earth and Water

[Mail Server: Message # 236216]

[To: Spellman, Norm]

[From: Moore, Randall]

[Subject: Remaining Avatar Counts]

Hey Norm,

Just trying to reach you over the remaining count of the Avatars. After all that craziness you guys experienced, my boss just wants to know how many/in how good of condition the units are in. If I could hear from you in the next two days, that'd be great. I know you guys are extremely busy up there and all.

I'm so very sorry to hear about Grace, she was always very kind to me.

Regards,

Dr. Randall Moore

Avatar Program

* * *

[Mail Server: Message # 236407]

[To: Moore, Randall]

[From: Spellman, Norm]

[Subject: Re: Remaining Avatar Counts]

Randall,

Hectic might be an understatement.

The remaining Avatar count is 23, but that number includes my own, which is still unaccounted for. I have already logged all of these in the project's file, so I'm just a little curious as to why you contacted me this way. Does the doctor need a doctor? I'm kidding of course.

I miss Grace too. _Awve ultxari ohengeyä, Nawma Sa'nok lrrtok siveiyi._

Norm Spellman

Avatar Program

* * *

Pandora:

Our clan was extremely fortunate. Never before has an entire tribe had to relocate from their hometree. The horse clans from the east divided us up and shared their homes with us. It's just small things like these that I'm glad I made the switch, hah, if that's what you'd call it.

Mo'at christened me leader of the Omaticaya soon after I was reborn. I don't know – maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was the Turuk Makto. But after the mining company was expelled, I set the creature free. It wasn't needed anymore.

Neytiri says my progress in Na'vi language and the customs is good, but, you know, if I'm chief and all, man, it's even strange to think about it now. It's only been, what, three months? A little more, I guess, since I first took that drive in the Avatar. It seems so long ago.

Sh'ka returned with the hunting party, landing their banshees, ikran, on the outskirts of our camp. They caught three yerik, Sh'ka was skilled, one arrow each. Great, plenty to eat tonight. As chief, so far so good. At least no one's going to starve on my watch. Keep looking on the bright side, Jake.

Neytiri strode over to Sh'ka and helped his party unload the yerik, and brought the beasts over to the fire pit. Mo'at said a prayer, to Eywa, the Mother-Earth, well, Mother-Pandora, if you will, thanking her for her gifts and her, like, loan for the energy provided for the animals.

The yerik meat was eaten quickly. Mo'at motioned around herself, and drew up to her full height right beside the fire. She pointed to me. "_Tsun oe ngahu nìNa'vi pivängkxo a fì'u oeru prrte' lu, Jakesully. _It's a pleasure to be able to chat with you in Na'vi, Jakesully."

"_Oe prrte. _The pleasure is mine."

"_You are Omaticaya chief. There is much to learn."_

Neytiri leaned close to me. "It is like you are a baby." She snickered.

"_A devotion to our tribe is to hold our beliefs. We give these to our brothers and sisters by telling them of what was, and what shall be known. The stories of Etu'san, Eywa, Mallahal, Omactl, and them shall be heard inside every ear, and spoken through every mouth. This night, Jakesully, you will learn of Eywa and her being, and the Na'vi._

_"In the start of the First Song, Eywa shook the ground, wanting to share love with it. She shook the ground until it broke, and from the break came forth the fire. The fire spread over Eywa, and she was very weak. She asked Etu'san, the Water, to help her in her suffering, but he would not. He told Eywa to help herself, and Eywa began to _see_ herself. Her trees felt for one another, speaking to her, telling where the fire would be. Eywa made the wind blow out the fires, and was glad. Etu'san then banished the fire to the Talmakx Shrine in the northern face, where it will rest, until Etu'san and Eywa call upon it."_

Neytiri spoke. "As clan leader, you must know these sayings by mouth. The stories tell the will of Eywa, and can unite the clan."


	3. Fallout

[Mail Server: Message # 236602]

[To: Spellman, Norm]

[From: Moore, Randall]

[Subject: Down With That]

Larry, the new section chief, says thanks for those numbers.

Oh, and I almost forgot, there's a little payroll increase for you, he says.

Other than that though, not much else to say.

Kilometers of interwoven "synapses" you say? That's wild!

Omaticayan clan leader? That's wild as well!

U B good (working on my slang, daughter's native tongue).

Thanks again.

Randall Moore

Doctor

Avatar Program

* * *

[Mail Server: Message # 23671]

[To: Moore, Randall]

[From: Spellman, Norm]

[Subject: Okay]

[Body Empty]

* * *

Earth:

Sam Anderson shuffled into and out of his office constantly all day. Papers were scattered everywhere. All of his assistants were pulling doubles, and in the case of Penny Henderson, triples. He himself hadn't slept for forty-eight hours, and the secretaries were starting to take offence. "Does he think that cologne can mask that stench forever?" asked Penny.

Sam had just had three forms notarized and shuffled back into his office, only to find his son sitting in the guest seat. "Grady? Son, what'd need?"

"Hey, dad. I think you already know what I'm going to say, but for my own sanity I still need to say it." Grady hadn't gotten up, and the twenty-nine year old didn't turn to face his father.

"Alright, son."

Grady drew a breath. "Dad, I don't like that we're going back to Pandora."

Sam moved around his desk and sat down in his oversized chair. "I think everyone on the board knows that."

"Dad!" Grady sprung up and landed both of his fists on the desk. "You're the PRESIDENT! You have the power to veto the Board's decision as long as there's a differing opinion."

"Boy, don't try to lecture me on what powers I have. I know damn well. The point is…" he swatted Grady's clenched fists from the desk, "I don't want to."

"Dad, listen to reason!"

"Reason? Oh, reason? There's a fortune under those trees and you want me to reason? Listen to yourself, Grady. If we don't do this, we don't get paid. If we don't do this, someone else will. If we don't see this through, we're done."

Grady stood to leave. "There's no convincing you. None of those scientists or Avatar drivers are going to give you permission. You know that, right?"

Sam smiled. "We already did. That was the easy part."

"You're kidding."

"Oh, no, I'm not. Within the hour of adjourning we had someone agree. I tell you what, that was a billion well invested."

"This company knows no bounds. Dad, you know that I love you and respect the hell out of you, but I can't stand with you on this."

"Does this mean you're leaving the company, son? Squandering your inheritance over some planet and monkeys you'll never see?"

"I may never see them, but I'll hear about them, and goddam it, I won't have my legacy stained by the blood that you're shedding!" Grady stormed out of the office.


	4. Pongupizayu

Pandora:

It had never been done before in the history of all Na'vi. Neytiri negotiated something like an adoption of the Omaticaya people into a hometree 200 clicks from the plains where we camped. It was really quite something. All of the Omaticaya were literally jumping for joy. Huh.

The Pongupizayu tribe, which Neytiri tells me means Oldgroup tribe, lived in a hometree that was very much like our own – a large ring at the base, secondary ring a little further up the base and squatter, and an inner ring, a core structure, like a spiral, allowing for easy navigation through the tree. It was easily taller than our own, a good 250 meters, but coupled with both the Omaticaya and Pongupizayu, it was still a squeeze. Grace had told me that the normal hometree could house 1,500 Na'vi, so I guess by my dubious calculations, we were right about at max here.

Eyman'ya was the Pongupizayu clan leader, and we decided that all matters involving hometree would be delegated to him, and all matters involving the Omaticaya would stay with me and Mo'at. Just another day with Na'vi politics.

But one month into our stay, everything changed.

In the middle of the night during the dry season, a fierce rumbling shook the hometree. It started at the lower ring, and shook apart the base of the tree. A tremendous CRACK echoed through the upper spirals. I awoke instantly, and found Neytiri's cot empty. Scrambling, I found my bow and ran upwards towards the roost, where the banshees nested. Seeing Mo'at there, I urged her to fly to safety.

"What is happening, Mo'at?"

She turned to me, calmly, "It is the Judgement."

"What?" Another tremulous CRACK filtered its way up the tree.

"Remember the Fire. Ewya has told me the Toruk Makto enters the Temple, and I must join her."

"Mo'at, I respectfully disagree."

"No, Jakesully. Eywa has spoken to me, charged me with telling you this. It is your destiny, Jakesully, and it is my time."

"No, c'mon. Mo'at come with me."

But it was useless. That very instant, Mo'at leapt from the highest branch, into the night, towards the ground illuminated by Pandora's neon light cascading off of the flora and fauna.

I clicked my tongue and my banshee sprung up, and the hexapod was ready to fly. I made the Bond, allowing me to control the animal with just the thought in my mind. I willed it to fly downwards, toward the bioluminescent scene, towards the falling Tsahik. Faster and faster we flew, slicing along the trunk of the huge tree, tears bellowing from my eyes as we dove, closer and closer to our target. I could see her, tumbling out of control, closer to her imminent doom…

I willed the banshee upwards. I saw the tumbling figure come to an abrupt stop. Mo'at, Neytiri's mother, Omaticaya Tsahik, matriarch, was dead.

I turned my attention to the hometree. An eerie orange glow enveloped the lower section of the tree, but no fire was seen. A raced the banshee towards the column's base, where a stampede of Omaticaya and Pongupizayu ran exiting the superstructure. "Everyone! Clear out! Go into the forest at least twenty minutes run! Do not stop!" I looked into the scared faces of the Na'vi. "_Has anyone seen Neytiri?!"_

_"The child of Mo'at was seen at the banshee roost, talking with her mother, the Tsahik,"_ cried out one of the running Pongupizayu.

With my instincts, I sprang up with the banshee's legs and pushed it towards the roost, feeling like it was an impossible climb. Slowly the banshee rose, no longer feeling mighty after the failed rescue. I still willed it to climb, but I felt what the banshee felt, exhaustion, numbness. The Bond shared both of our emotions and pains, the Banshee felt angriness and desperation, I the fatigue. Time seemed to slow for me. The roost hanging in place right before my eyes, but not coming any closer. The beats of the banshee become more spaced apart. The beat of my own heart echoing the sentiment. "NEYTIRI!"

I saw the perfect blue face appear from above my head. "My Jake!"

"I can't get up there! You have your banshee?" I was starting to black out. Neytiri, without answering, leapt from her perch and fell onto the banshees back. I immediately willed a downward flight, finding comfort in the arms that wrapped around my chest.


	5. 5 Years to Stay Alive

[Mail Server #745262]

[To: Patel, Max]

[From: Spellman, Norm]

[Subject: I'll probably tell you in person, but…]

[Attachment: Geologic_Activity_Pandora_03052156(.)xlsxl]

Max,

Incredible activity on the continent north of us, 300 kilometers away! Sorry, I'll just tell you in person when I see you.

Norm

* * *

Earth:

The Amplified Mobility Platforms were the last mechanical objects to load onto the Valkyries. Twenty-five of the AMP suits were loaded onto each of the four shuttle Valks, and then the crews came in, sixty troops apiece. Four contingents of shuttle crews made up only a fraction of the Interstellar Vehicle Venture Star's crew, and each ISV Venture Star carried four shuttles apiece. Grand total: 12,749 troops, 2,400 AMP suits, 99 SSTO-TAV-37 B-class Valkyries, 25 ISVs, along with dedicated retrofitted ISVs with Aerospatiale SA-2 Samson helicopters as the payload. Oh, and one big fusion bomb.

Sam Anderson oversaw the final preparations before the five-year long flight to Pandora's solar system, Alpha Centauri A. Pandora itself was one of the many satellites of the gas giant Polyphemus. Sam laughed to himself when the thought popped into his head that the army would be passing the ejected security personnel from Pandora on the way there. Parker Selfridge would wake up in five years to find that he had been terminated.

Grady walked up next to his father. "Hey, dad."

Sam Anderson put a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Glad you came to your senses, son."

Grady shrugged it off. "Yeah, well, if you're going to do it, do it right, like you always said."

"That's right."

"Listen, you know I've always wanted to go to Pandora, so, well, I figured you might let me see over one of the contingents and make sure the drilling goes as planned."

"I'll do you one better – I want you running the whole show."

The look on Grady's surprised face was priceless. "What? Really? My own command? But what about all this – security? Surely I won't be in charge of something, well, that I really have no experience with."

"Oh, no, not that part, son. I've already delegated the strategy and all the specifics to Brigadier General Hawkes, but you'll have command of the drilling, excavating, transport, all that. I need someone I can trust down there in the bush."

"Will do. Are any of the other board members coming along?"

"I didn't think that was necessary. We'll have a mobile uplink station on Hell's Gate at all times, and it can be moved, if the Board thinks it necessary. Here." He pulled out a stapled packet and handed it to Grady. "Itinerary and schedules, goals, and objectives. All in there."

Grady looked at the cover sheet. "It's addressed to me. You knew I would head up this thing?"

His father smiled. "Of course I did. You ARE an Anderson, after all."

Grady smiled and shook his father's hand. "Do me proud, son."

_Oh, I will, father. Because you know me _so _well. Because you know that I'll follow your orders. Because I never had the intention to drill in Pandora. Because if I have to, five years down the road I'll take that fusion bomb and ram it right up your ass._


	6. Déjà vu

The RDA and their security escorts are en route to Pandora. The 26 ISVs will be traveling at 0.7 times the speed of light, putting them at the satellite moon in a little over 5 years. Most personnel will be in cryosleep for the duration of the trip. If all goes according to plan, each one of the crews will disembark at roughly the same time and lay siege to the planet, until it is deemed safe for mining platoons to land.

* * *

Pandora:

I landed the banshee at the clearing where the Omaticaya and Pongupizayu congregated. The scene was a mess. Children crying, mothers hushing, cries of _"Omaticaya is cursed!"_ and _"Evil follows the dreamwalker!"_ rang out in the circles. I got off the banshee and sprinted over to Eyman'ya, the other tribe's clan leader, to have a word.

_"No! No, Jakesully! Omaticaya has brought curse to our lands! Out hometree is sick."_

Neytiri interrupted. _"That's not true."_

I asked, "What do you mean, Neytiri?"

_"Mo'at told me the truth."_ Both Eyman'ya and I looked at her. _"The truth of the earth."_

Eyman'ya spoke, _"Grim news I hear, is this true? Mo'at killed herself?"_

_ "No, her spirit was gone before the flesh died. She is with Eywa. Before she fled from life, Eywa gave her a message…"_ tears welled up in the large yellow eyes of hers, _"for me, and Jake, Olo'eyktan."_

"Does it have to do with the tree, with it failing?"

"Yes, Jake…" she let out an echoed wail. It took all the strength in me not to rush over to her and embrace her, but some voice, in the confines of my mind, telling me this was not the time. Déjà vu or something like it swept over me, showing me vision of a scorched hometree, not unlike what Colonel Quaritch did to the Omaticaya hometree not long before, but on a grander scale. Fire lept up from huge fissures in the earth, spewing up boulders of rock along with magma. The light from the magma merged with the bioluminescent scene of the Pandora night, the greens and blues of the landscape, and for an instant, reveling in the bask of orange, then cringing, escaping into itself, avoiding certain doom. The lava was quick, almost water-like, and engulfed Hell's Gate, Norm and Max, and the Tree of Souls, the direct link to Eywa. The lava gathered itself and seemed to form upon itself, and rose like the crest of a wave over the Hallelujah Mountains. The forests turned to ash and were blackened. Pandora, once Earth-like in her younger eons, became useless, pitiful, depressing. Finally, me and Neytiri embracing each other, at the ruined Tree of Voices…

But it was just a feeling, and I came back from the vision to see Neytiri cock her head at me, like she sometimes did when I did something _human._ _"Jake, what is it?"_

"Nothing, sorry."

Eyman'ya spoke, _"And? What was the message?"_

_ "It is hard put into words, Jake." _She started to cry again. _"Eywa sees the Sky People coming back, but much stronger. They have a weapon that will kill everything here. Eywa despairs. You must understand, Jake, our Mother does not show us her sadness. It is not her way. For her to show… this,"_ she motioned to the huge creaking tree, _"is bad. The Fire has sensed her weakness and will return, Jake, so that the Sky People will not abuse her anymore."_

I looked at her incredulously. "You don't mean from the legend? _The_ Fire? That makes no sense at all. First, that doesn't make sense. Second, why would the Fire protect Eywa from the Sky People if it KILLS Eywa?"

She let out another wail. "I don't know how to say it, Jake! What do you kind of warriors call it when one of your own asks to die?"  
"A mercy-kill?" But then the conversation was cut short. A millisecond of silence, then a horrendous GROAN came from the Pongupizayu hometree. Whip-like snaps were then heard as the columns supporting the tree sprang loose. The remaining banshees in the roost took off into the night. The lumber giant looked like it may hold for a second or two, but with the final snapping of its roots, at the same time minutely slow and harrowingly quick, slammed to the ground.


	7. Doubt

Pandora:

Thus began the great pilgrimage to the Tree of Souls.

It took seven days, marching through the elements, setting up camp every night for the two tribes. Packs of viper wolves patrolled the borders of our camps constantly. Waiting in the night to strike, they would sneak in and steal some of the little children. They did it like a diversion, which Neytiri says that they never do that. It's like they had it in for us.

The consenting opinion between the Pongupizayu tribe was that I was the cause of all this. _"It's against Eywa, it is." "A dreamwalker living among us in this body." "And now the viper wolves plot and take our young." "It is not natural."_ If it were up to me, I'd show them a _natural_ thing or two.

I had accepted that me and Neytiri would be seeing less of each other, it is, after all, our first and foremost duty to lead and guide the tribe. But what if the tribe doesn't want to be lead? No, they did, it was mostly just our hosts that wanted to complain.

But nonetheless, I felt Neytiri was giving me the cold shoulder the last couple of months. She didn't act like the playful Neytiri I fell in love with. I don't want to blame her, either, because I was acting in the same manner. It just seemed these heavy things just kept coming up, and how can you be happy when you're weighed down by all… this?

I had gotten better at the language, but I didn't feel the spark, or whatever, that the Na'vi felt towards their goddess. I was never a religious or spiritual person back on Earth, hell no. I didn't believe in no Savior, or God, or anything like that. Looking back, I don't know if I _did_ believe in anything, sure as shit not in people. But it's funny. When I get here, I fall in love, I'm born again, I SEE the goddess herself all around me, but now, when everything is supposed to be going right, I have unbelievable stress, and a public opinion on me that's wavering on the fact that this said goddess is asking fire to kill herself.

Sure, I asked Eywa to help us when RDA was here, and all the animals of the forest and skies sure did something about that. But is that a coincidence? Did the animals of Pandora just get fed up and attack those who were destroying their homelands? What if all this belief of the Na'vi is just created to explain something that they could never understand themselves?

But Grace, she said Eywa was real. But also, Grace had lost a lot of blood when Colonel Quaritch shot her, she probably was delirious. Hold on, though there, Jake. Eywa transferred your spirtit into this Avatar. Wait, though, that could be a mistell as well. Didn't Grace say that Pandora's flora and fauna were all connected, and that the plant life sent some kind of electrical signals, or something like that, like a nervous system. What if it had nothing to do with Eywa, but just this one tree, just like our neural devices did with our human bodies and the Avatars. What if it was the same kind of machine?

Over the next few days I racked my brain with facts that counteracted the existence of Eywa. It started to make so much sense to me. Seeing a way that the Na'vi could interpret something as spiritual, but as a result of a something not.

When the pilgrimage to the Tree of Souls was only a day outside of the sacred place, Neytiri came up to talk with me. It'd be the first time in three days.

"Jake?"

"Yeah, Neytiri?"

"Eywa has told me that something is wrong with you."

I laughed a little. "I'm sure she did. But there's nothing wrong with me. But how are you doing? We haven't, you know, talked in a while."

She turned away from me. "You must understand, Jake, you are Olo'eyktan, and I am Tsahik. Eywa has said that you are doubting something, it is on your face, in your eyes. It's like you have found something that you want to disprove so badly, you take pleasure in it? What is this? Will this help us?"

"Neytiri… you don't need to talk to Eywa every time you see that I'm down."

"Then WHO will I talk to? You, Jake? You don't know what you want. Ever since you became Olo'eyktan, you seem beaten, and think that you cannot be happy. You are a WARRIOR of the Omaticaya! Come Jake. Be who I know you can be."

"I'm trying Neytiri, but can't you see? It's not like when we first met, all these struggles, destruction! Even if Eywa was real, why would she put us, her children, through this disaster?"

"She is a mysterious mother, but all ends have things before them. Eywa does not delight in our troubles, but relishes in our glories with us. You must realize these facts, Jake."


	8. Eywa's Grace

Pandora:

The two tribes arrived at the Tree of Souls at daybreak the next day. The tribes semi-separated, and each of the clan members took their queues and attached them to the Tree's glowing tendrils that hung down from the branches. Neytiri and I stood near the trunk, and the rest of the Omaticaya people stood silent in prayer. I myself connected my queue to one of the tendrils closest to me.

_In my mind I'm still just talking to a tree. I respect the Na'vi's belief of you, but in all course, I have shreds of doubt that some entity of Eywa is actually real. It's bordering on desperation on my part, but I have to believe, for the life of me, that some thing is watching over us. All of my training, I've never seen anything like it. If there was a way, I don't know, that you could show me that you were real…_ Neytiri clasped her hand around mine… _I think I'm gonna need something more than that…_ Neytiri brought her face to my lips, and we kissed there, both of our queues connected to the tree, causing something that felt like nausea, but not bad at all, like looking at yourself while you slept or something. Then we parted… _Uh, I'm gonna need more convincing then that…_ Neytiri slapped me across the face. "Damn!" _Alright! I'm not going to deny your existence. But I _will_ deny your intentions. Neytiri says that you are trying to mercy-kill yourself or something before the humans come back again. I understand that you are all-powerful and wise, so why do you wish this? Why doom your faithful Na'vi if you believe that the same thing will happen at a later time? Why deny life?_

I felt an overwhelming sense of, I guess I'd call it power. It felt like the inside of my brain was expanding and enveloping all in existence – I felt myself in a land that was brimming with white, but no animals or plants, and was extremely level. And then she spoke.

"Hey, numb-nuts."

I would know that voice from anywhere. It was the voice of Dr. Grace Augustine, the senior researcher for the Avatar Program. She had died at this spot, while the same transfer that was a success for me, meant that hers had failed. She was too weak after bleeding after Colonel Quaritch opened fire on us while Norm, Trudy, Grace and I while we tried to escape Hell's Gate. But I could hear her in my mind, as clearly as if she stood right next to me.

"I told you Jake, she's real."

"Grace, but this is the Tree of Souls, not the Tree of Voices, how come I can hear you?"

"Every person has had someone who died in their lives, and that person becomes their Communicator, marine. I have the _pleasant_ mission to be yours."

"You haven't lost your spunk, doctor."

"Or my hair. Being with Eywa has its privileges."

"Grace, why is Eywa trying to kill herself, or whatever?"

"Jake, what you have to understand is that the All-Mother protects the balance of energy. She does not take sides, she does not disrupt. She has sensed the future, when the mining company will come back, and has seen what they will do to her. Rob her of her minerals, destroy her children. The company will take back the minerals and use them for their own ends on Earth. Jake, Eywa is the mother-Pandora, and she cannot be used for energy on mother-Earth, weak as she is."

"So there can't be any transfer of minerals between planets?"

"Between _living_ planets, sure, but not on the scale RDA plans on seeing through."

"So then what do we do, Grace?"

"The company will arrive above Pandora in a little over five years – they are already on their way. I see that Mo'at has already told you of the story of the Fire and the Water. There is a temple carved into the side of a volcano on the island the Na'vi call The Island of Knowledge. The Toruk Makto is the only one who may enter this temple, and there, there is the key to ending Eywa's suffering."

"I still don't understand, Grace. Eywa is causing herself to suffer, why can't she just fix it? What do we do about RDA? Grace?"

But Grace was fading away, the voice was becoming more remote. I opened my eyes to see that my queue's strands were untwining from the tree's tendrils, and all of the Omaticaya were staring at me.


	9. The Tree of Souls

Pandora:

The Omaticaya continued to stare at me. Was I speaking out loud? Neytiri clicked her tongue twice to call attention to herself.

"_The All-Mother has commanded us what to do. And you must listen to me." _The remaining Na'vi unlatched their queues from the Tree of Souls and sat down in their places. "_Our leader, Jakesully, must venture to the Island of Knowledge. None of us has gone there since the time before the first songs. He must not venture alone,"_ she looked at me, "_he does not know the way._"

"Okay, first of all, I have absolutely no idea what the hell I'm supposed to do, and second of all, if this thing is dangerous, I won't have any of you risking your necks for me."

Neytiri crossed over to me and laid her hand on my forearm. Those big cat-like eyes journeyed their way up to mine, caught a glimpse of my worry, and shied away. "This is bigger than you, than all of us. We will gladly give our lives to protect our Mother. You should know this, we've fought together before."

"No, Neytiri, not like this. This is like a big joke, traveling to God-knows-where to do only some God-knows-thing. I love this place, I love the people, but damn it, I don't see where this is heading."

Neytiri gracefully grabbed my hand and yanked me away from the center of the tree. We receded back, tiptoeing through the throngs of Omaticaya still seated on the luminescent forest floor. We went past the last of the gawking tribesmen, into the darkness surrounding the white tree fronds. Neytiri edged me along, never looking back at me to see if I was struggling to keep up or anything. Deeper and deeper we traversed, away from the murmuring conversation. She seemed determined to get me alone, where no Omaticaya or Pongupizayu would overhear us. What did she have to say to me? Was it something so dangerous that no one else could overhear?

We stopped at a small grove that sprang up with those awesome spiral plant things that shot down into themselves I enjoyed so much. Neytiri tried to tell me the names of most of the various plants and whatnot, but I could never keep them straight. She finally turned and looked at me – but she didn't shy away as she had done at the Tree of Souls. She did the opposite; she looked like she was on a mission, to determine something I couldn't. She held up the long braid of hair that housed her queue. I matched the gesture.

Now, I've been with plenty of women on Earth, even as a cripple, but I'll tell you right now, nothing compared to this. When I joined her nervous system with mine, it was if we were inside each other's heads. I could see many of her memories, and weirdly, I could see myself through her eyes, and it continued, looping onto itself, and the looping images and memories collected together in an alternate reality, one born of emotion not innovation, a particular kind of time consciousness, which defines the present, in its relation to the past, which must be continuously recreated. This crazy feeling, almost like déjà vu, prompted a fierceness between us for continued _enlightenment_.

We embraced each other.

Afterwards, we lay beside one another, unaware of time or space. We were on our own Pandora. The dots that resided on Neytiri's face were glowing brightly, but she wore a frown on her face, and almost looked like she were about to cry. "What is it, Neytiri?"

She leaned away from me. "During mating, the partner sees whatever the other mate has experienced, or thought. But one can hold back, something or several things. Things not for the partner to know, or shouldn't know, or doesn't want to know."

I leaned closer to her and rested my head on her shoulder. "What do you mean?"

"Jake… you know how my grandfather's grandfather was a Toruk Makto?"

"Yes, you told me about him, why?"

"It is an honor to be this, a way of uniting the tribes against a great evil. The great Toruk is a symbol of great hope, and terror." She turned around and looked at me. "Oh my Jake, every Toruk Makto meets their end before Eywa, young."

I took awhile to process this. "But I'm sure the way you described your great-great-grandfather, that the Toruk Maktos died in battle for which they were called upon."

Neytiri looked down at the bioluminescent forest floor, which seemed to pulsate white light in rhythm to her heartbeat. "And because you survived, I think that is why Eywa has given you this task in the Island of Knowledge. I don't think you're meant to survive." Neytiri let out a wail of sadness that seemed to echo through the dense forest trees.


	10. Abord the Vociferous Michelson

Earth:

Sam Anderson took his place at the head of the boardroom table. The other eleven men were already waiting for him.

"So?" asked Mr. Cox.

Sam looked at the board calmly at the other men. "So… the security force is en route to Pandora, while my son is en route to, God knows where."

Mr. Cox looked at him incredulously. "You're kidding. How did you manage that?"

Sam smiled. "Once again, money talks."

Mr. Pratt laughed out loud, "You ol' bastard."

"Are you talking about Grady?" said Mr. Cox. The whole room let out a laugh.

"I just had a dummy corporation finance the security forces and relayed a last minute message to the bridge of the _Vociferous Michelson_, the ISV Grady's on, to alter course to some coordinates that would put them precisely two hundred light-years away from Alpha Centuri A and Pandora, and most important, gentlemen, our operations."

The eleven other men stood up as a unit and applauded Sam, the loudest being Mr. Cox. Sam motioned for them to take their seats. "Good, now that ruddy pest can't make injunctions on our affairs!" exclaimed Mr. Cox.

"Onto other affairs, gentlemen," said Sam. "Currently our force is traveling a little under 0.6 light speed, putting us at Pandora in little over five years. This is our timetable. Five years. Now, gentlemen, what to do with the Avatar program?"

Mr. Cox stood up. "Disassemble it, and quick, I say! What good are those scientists to us? Eco-babble. Poppycock. The more of them that stay on that planet, the more trouble they'll cause, ain't no doubt about that."

"I'll have to disagree with you on that one, Mr. Cox," said Mr. Pratt. "That program has already come in handy to us on this endeavor, therefore I'm certain it may come in handy again."

"I believe I'm in league with Mr. Pratt, gentlemen. There is no rush I believe to dismantle it, but perhaps stifle it, at least here on Earth like research and whatnot. I move to keep that channel open."

"Aye," piped in Mr. Pratt. Mr. Cox sneered down at the table.

* * *

Aboard the _Vociferous Michelson_:

Grady saw to it that all of the security personnel were put into cryosleep before his personal bodyguards touched the semi permeable fluid that all had to drink before embarking on the five year voyage in, basically, a coffin. After a sweep of the barracks and sleeping quarters, Grady made his way to the ISV bridge.

The captain on the flight was an exceptionally tall man, with broad shoulders and a well-trimmed mustache. He had an angular face with a standard Navy crew cut that he adopted ever since enrolling in the Fleet. Most captains would get sick during travel in semi light speed, at least during the rapid acceleration, but somehow Captain Thomas Whitaker did not. He reveled in it. No feeling was closer to attaining pure excitement, he thought, than the travel from .0C to .7C. If only the engineers at RDA could unlock that mystical barrier to push beyond, to .9C, or hell, .999C, Captain Whitaker could die a happy man.

Grady approached the captain, who was the only one on the bridge except for a few techs and the first mate. "Evening, Captain Whitaker."

The captain was looking out the bow window, hands clasped behind his back, and turned to nod to the young industrialist. "Sir. I would have thought that you would be in your bunk right about now. The _Vociferous Michelson_ is about to accelerate."

"I wanted to make sure that the security personnel weren't up and about with no one to look after them."

"You need not worry about those grunts onboard my vessel, master Anderson, I believe your position is well in order."

"Still, wanted to make sure."

"Aye."

"Are we the last to leave? Don't see any of the other ISVs still lingering around."

"Aye, we are. We received a coded message after all of the, well, most of the cryobeds were locked in, that said to delay departure an hour or so, something about a disturbance that will pass our vector, so we're just waiting it out."

"How long ago was that?"

The captain looked at his chronometer. "Fifty-one minutes ago. The message said that they'll respond when it's all-clear."

Like clockwork, the video monitor at the head of the bridge's panel lit up. CORRECTION: BEAR 32.54°x 21.84°y 4.46°z; ALL-CLEAR.

Captain Whitaker looked at the message. "Huh, changing our course quite a bit, must be because of the disturbance. Not to worry though, master Anderson, you have quite a capable bridge on this vessel."


	11. Acceleration

Aboard the _Vociferous Michelson_:

Grady Anderson stood behind the captain. "If it's alright with you, sir, I'd like to stay on the bridge during acceleration."

The captain looked puzzled, but waived it off. "Of course, sir, just take a seat over in that reinforced chair, and buckle yourself in." Grady did as he was told, sliding over to the metallic seat and lifting each one of the five safety buckles into their respective holders. "Master Cartwright, all set for take-off?"

Cartwright held his thumb up. "Aye, captain. Unobtainium reserves stocked, accelerators ready, coordinates punched in, and crew set to go. Awaiting your word, sir."

Captain Whitaker stepped over to the captain's chair and strapped himself in. "Excellent. Bring all engines to full, cap at zero-point-six-two-cee on my mark." The captain exhaled and said, "Mark."

At first, Grady was very disappointed. It seemed as if the engines weren't exactly roaring to life as he imagined it. On the contrary, it seemed as if the _Vociferous Michelson_ was still stationary in space around Earth. But then he concentrated on a star on the outer field of the port side window. Indeed, the craft was moving. Then a feeling in his stomach gradually became more pronounced. It felt as if a large stone was inside of him, drawn by some strange attraction to the metallic seat that he rested on. He felt flat.

Grady to the captain seated in front of his position, and could vaguely see the crease of a smile snaking its way towards his ear. "How's she holding up, Cartwright?"

"Fine sir, currently zero-point-four-four-cee."

"Good, master Cartwright. Engines then crew?"

Another man beyond Cartwright chimed in, "Engines holding, crew stable, captain."

Grady didn't know how the men held it together. He was struggling. He felt as though a great pressure was building in his body and that if he just punctured his stomach, he could relieve the pressure. It was only a feeling, though.

Captain Whitaker turned his head and asked, "How are you holding up, sir?"

Grady marveled at his neck strength. "I feel like I could shit a brick." Cartwright and the other techs laughed.

"Well, it won't be too much longer, you only feel it during acceleration, once we level out you won't feel a thing. Deceleration is much more mundane, on the other end. Not nearly as fun."

"Approaching zero-point-six-two-cee, captain, in three, two, one… accelerators off, equilibrium reached," said Cartwright.

The stone in Grady's stomach wretched back to its rightful place in his abdomen, and he couldn't be more grateful. "Damn, that was intense."

The captain unbuckled himself and stood up. A look of worry took over his face. "Cartwright, do a starmap check and determine exactly where we are."

Grady spoke up while trying to unbuckle himself, "Is everything alright, Captain Whitaker?"

The captain didn't answer his question instantly. "Mr. Cartwright?"  
The first mate was hunched over a computer monitor. "We'll have it in a few seconds, sir."

But the crew would never learn exactly where they were. On the starboard side of the ISV, a beam of light emitted from one of the ISV's attached Valkyrie shuttles shot out from its light source, traveling at C, or 299,792,458 meters a second. Normally, light travels a straight line, as the photon travels in a vacuum. But shortly after the particle was emitted, the beam of light bent, not following its normal trajectory of straight, but instead looked as if affected by a force. Captain Whitaker was the first to see the phenomenon. "Oh, sweet lord." The rest of the crew looked up to the starboard window and glanced at the object (or lack thereof) – a black hole.

Grady was lost in the scrambling on the bridge. Words like "Kerr, rotating, black hole, event horizon, intermediate-sized, spaghettification," were tossed around. Captain Whitaker was shouting orders to the rest of the bridge. Grady saw the solar pylons on the end of the ISV being jettisoned, but it seemed no use. Nothing, not light, or something as massive as the _Vociferous Michelson_ traveling .62C, could escape its pull.

As the ISV tilted slowly towards the singularity, Grady was overcome with hatred. Hatred for his father, the bloodsucker who ordered this damned extermination, for his company, who more than likely gave him false coordinates right to this monster, and hatred for himself, for allying with RDA and Sam Anderson for all these years. Amid all the shouting on the bridge, Grady continued to sit in his reinforced chair, continued to reflect on his failed life.

_Pandora, I never got to see you. I wanted to help, I really did. It wasn't meant to be. Down with the ship I guess. I don't want my last thought in this life to be of hatred, thought, so I'm thinking of you, Pandora, moon of Polyphemus. I've only seen pictures of your beauty, or your terrifying creatures and sentient beings. I'm so sorry that I couldn't stop this horrible company from destroying you, from robbing you of your uniqueness. My only wish was to gaze upon your beauty before I died. _

The captain stood erect and put his hand on the dash of the bridge. "But think of the acceleration!"

_But pictures will have to do I guess._


	12. The Dream

Pandora:

I fell asleep. And I dreamt.

I was with Colonel Quaritch in the Omaticayan hometree. He didn't have an air-mask on. He was using a viperwolf bone to crush up the remainder of the viper wolf meat for a stew. He asked me if I wanted to do it.

I made my way over to him and took the bone from his hands. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't crush the meat. He took the bone and looked at me disgustingly.

He then held out a bag, which was moving inside, a plush stuffed hedgehog and a cobra and another venomous snake. He offers me the bag and I look inside, the rattlesnake almost bites me in the bag. I run, the stuffed animal comes around me, but playfully, and the hometree morphs into a modern house like those on Earth, warm carpet and everything, but the space where Quaritch is remains looking like the tree. I shut the door in the hedgehog's face, angering him. I go to the other side of the room that connects to the hometree in a half-moon sort of way, and shut that door, and yell to the owners of the house that something weird is going on. I open the door and kick the stuffed animal, and find that Quaritch is lying on a limb of the hometree leisurely, not wanting to step on the floor with the snakes. I yell to whomever will listen that there is snakes in the house, then leave.

I meet Neytiri, back outside the house that now has morphed back into the hometree's outside and Pandora, and we go into the forest, where we find a ladder with broken rungs resting on one of the trees. My mate shoots arrows to hold the rungs together. Suddenly, all of the Omaticaya elders appear out of thin air along my side, and we go up the ladder to see a Na'vi, pleading, saying something about that she needs help, then a cobra gets her there. We leave.

The group finds a rug in the middle of the forest floor that pushes aside and reveals a passageway. We head down and discover that this is leading past Pandora's layers, mantle, core, and we arrive at a gate with like logs attached to heavy wire. The logs I realize are connected and can be manipulated like a puzzle. We spend a few minutes lifting the logs out of place and into new grooves, and the gates lift. Somehow I know to remove the logs once we figure out the puzzle, and someone says in Na'vi, "_How do you know to remove the logs_?" and I say, "I feel like I've been here before."

The group of Omaticaya goes inside to this large chamber that almost looks dips into the middle, and almost looks like a dueling ring, but the entire chamber is subtly golden. I see a big throne carved into the side of the chamber and attached is a pen-like projector. I ask the Omaticaya elder that came with us what it was for. For some reason, he knows what it is and speaks perfect English. "It looks like a projector that attaches to a camera, like mine." I turn it on and see a ship traveling through white space, like the negative of regular space.

I woke up.

Neytiri stands over me looking troubled. I shrug off the remaining feeling of grogginess while she took my hand and led me back to the Tree of Souls. Something about this dream made me want to keep it a secret, even though the next time that we would join queues, she would know instantly. But something about either the clues in the dream or the details made me remain hesitant with the specifics of it.

The Omaticaya were waiting for us. Well, if it is true that RDA's coming back in five years, no need to waste time here, living on a dying planet. Time to rescue her, and then think of what to do about the damned armada, when the time comes.

Neytiri unhooked her father's bow from her back, given to her when Eytukan entrusted it to her, and held it high up in the air. "_Jakesully is going on a quest, to the Island of Knowledge, and we need those of you who wish to go with him, to guide him._"


	13. Singularity

Aboard the _Vociferous Michelson_:

It was like nothing that Grady had ever felt.

The hull of the ISV _Vociferous Michelson_ groaned under his feet. The captain was laughing maniacally on his chair as the massive vehicle accelerated towards the singularity. The black hole loomed eerily in the viewport window, drawing the crew to their certain doom.

Captain Whitaker hailed Mr. Cartwright. "Fire all engines! Run that unobtainium deposit 'til we have naught!"

Mr. Cartwright shot a glance to the other techs on the bridge, apparently wondering whether to obey the captain when he was in a state of duress. He complied with the captain when, in reality, what else could hurt? "Aye, captain."

A tech next to Cartwright chimed in. "Unobtainium cylinders full burn, cap'n." The _Vociferous Michelson_ gave a lurch along its y-axis as the accelerators roared to life once again.

But it was no use.

The ISV was caught in the gravitational field of the black hole. While the captain ordered the ship to accelerate forward, the ship actually accelerated more along its side, towards the hole, almost like a penny rolling down a cone.

"Active burn at max, stores at fifty percent, captain!"

"Keep it! Burn it 'til it's used up."

Mr. Cartwright crossed over to the captain's chair. "It has been an honor serving on your vessel for all these years, captain."

Captain Whitaker shoved Cartwright away violently. "I'll not have that talk yet, Mr. Cartwright! I sure as hell don't hear no fat lady singing!"

Grady noticed the front of the cockpit of the ISV elongate, as the ISV faced the black hole head on. Faster and faster the vessel sped, now contributing its own propulsion with the might of the gravity of the singularity.

A wrenching screech filled the cabin. "Ten percent unobtainium cap'n!"

The captain shouted, "Run it on empty!"

Grady saw that the stars were blurring into lines. This was the end.

And then, nothing.

Grady was sure that he was already dead. He didn't lift his heavy lids. All he could see was white; it enveloped him. He had no body, but was instead a part of the encompassing nothingness, and he understood then, like a feeling of déjà vu, that dying wasn't the worst thing that could happen to him. He took solace in this fact, and was glad.

In the white expanse, a black dot appeared. As what appeared to be time elapsed, the dot grew bigger, closer. The dot's edges branched out towards Grady's reference point, with the center staying stationary, so it appeared a cone was coming towards him, in his shapeless being. The cone arrived, and on the other side approaching was its inverse, a black cone with the point towards Grady and branching outward. He passed through this cone as well, tip to base. Then everything became excruciatingly real.

The ISV _Vociferous Michelson_ was around Grady once again, in one piece. Grady didn't know if this was real or not, perhaps a dream?

Captain Whitaker sat up in his seat. "Evaluation, Mr. Cartwright?"

"Damned if I know. Sensors don't report any anomalies, sir."

The tech next to Cartwright spoke, "What the hell?"

"Captain, did we just go _through_ that damn thing?" asked Grady.

"It appears so, Mr. Anderson. All conventions have just been thrown out the window. In all likelihood, we should have been ripped apart, but it appears as though we've just been transported, somewhere, sometime…"

"Some time? God, all those physics classes are kicking in, damn. Black holes bend space-time," Grady said.

"They sure do, Mr. Anderson. I cannot believe that we're still alive. Truly a miracle."

Cartwright scanned the data screens. "Captain, we're going to run out of fuel, and fast."

Grady saw Captain Whitaker stand up and make his way to the port viewscreen. "Well, then, we'll just have to land on that moon there."

Grady looked out to his left. A gas giant loomed in the distance, surrounded by fourteen moons, the closest one being a blue-green one.

Pandora.


End file.
